Judge accepts plea deal in Army general sex case

FORT BRAGG, NC (AP) — A military judge has accepted an Army general’s guilty pleas on lesser charges in a deal that includes the dropping of sexual assault charges against him.

The hearing Monday at Fort Bragg caps the high-profile prosecution of Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair. It comes as the military continues to grapple with revelations of sex crimes in its ranks and political pressure to address the issue. A sentencing hearing for Sinclair is expected to begin after a two-hour recess.

He is believed to be the highest-ranking US military officer to face court-martial on sexual assault charges.

Sinclair, 51, had been accused of twice forcing a female captain under his command to perform oral sex during a three-year extramarital affair.

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